Bottle cleansing machine



Oct. 20, 1953 J. l.. HEROLD 2,655,928

BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE Filed Jan. l1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.JAMES LHEROLD BY v ATTORNEY.V

. TH 3., MMM m Oct. 20, 1953 J. 1 HEROLD BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. ll 1950 INVENTOR.

Y, D i www .hf T F. @L T MmA L um Mm on J Oct. 20, 1953 J. L.. HEROLDBOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE 3 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 1l, 1950 INVENTOR.JAMES x.. nimm BY www www@ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1953 BOTTLECLEANSING MACHINE James L. Herold, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Barry-Wehmiller Machinery Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of MissouriApplication January 11, 1950, Serial No. 138,033

12 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle cleansing machines of the type whereina conveyor is employed to transmit bottles through a cleansing zone.However, some of the novel details are applicable to various kinds ofmachines wherein it is desirable to rock bottoms, or the like, in aconveyor.

Prior to this invention, traveling bottles have been advanced step bystep to successive cleaning stations where the bottles are held ini'lXed positions while streams of cleansing liquid are discharged ontothe stationary bottles. Under such conditions there is a relatively lowdegree of eiliciency because each stream is discharged onto a singlepoint or area of contact with a bottle.

An object of the present invention is to create a commercially feasiblemeans for tilting or rocking the bottles to numerous positions in thecleansing zone, so as to expose numerous areas of each bottle to directforcible Contact with the I cleansing liquid. A further object is toaccomplish these results in a simple apparatus wherein loose bottles arereadily pushed over suitable rockers to successive cleansing positionsbelow the cleansing streams. Advantages of the bottlerocking deviceappear in other types of cleansing operations and include the valuableaid of agitating cleansing liquid inside of the bottles, so as to loosenforeign matter clinging to bottom portions of the bottles, as apreliminary step for internal cleansing which may be completed in asubsequent operation.

Novel cooperative details include rocking track members on which theloose bottles are supported, a conveyor having pushing elements toadvance the bottles over said track members, and deflecting elements toshift the loose bottles away from said pushing elements in response torocking movements of the bottles.

Another object is to conveniently utilize a conventional type of bottleconveyor adapted to push loose bottles along stationary friction trackmembers which contact with bottoms of the traveling bottles. With thisobject in view, the rockable track members are preferably interposedbetween lsections of the stationary track members under conditions whichallow the traveling bottles to freely enter onto and pass from therockable tracks.

Another object is to provide novel conditions which enable the rockabletracks to be economically assembled and readily taken apart forinspection or repairs at parts of the machine below the tracks.

In commercial practice, the rockable track device may be employed in anelaborate machine adapted to successively perform different kinds ofcleansing operations, and under some conditions it is not necessary torock the track members. Therefore, an object of the invention is toprovide conditions which enable the rocking tracks to be convenientlystopped and positively held in xed idle positions wherein they merelyform smooth tracks between the sections of the normally stationary trackmembers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprisesthe novel combination and arrangement of details herein shown anddescribed to illustrate a specic form of the invention. However, it isto be understood that the scope of the invention extends to variationsand modiiications more broadly described by terms employed in the claimshereunto appended.

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a portion of the housing of abottle cleansing machine, with the rockable track device shown inelevation.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. l, showing the conveyor asit appears while moving the bottle holders in the cleansing zone.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view, drawn to ak larger scale, showing ameans for rocking the track bars.

Fig. 4 is a section through a clutch device.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a part of the clutch device.

Fig. 'l is a detail view showing one ci the bottle holders and a bottleseated on one of the rockers.

Fig, 8 is a transverse section through a traveling bottle holder, withthe bottle as it appears while being pushed along one of the rockers.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing a condition which appears when thebottle holder is at rest, the bottle being rocked onto one side of saidholder.

Figures l and 2 show portions of a conventional type of bottle conveyorincluding a pair of sprocket chains Il! provided with rollers Ilsupported on tracks l2 at opposite side walls i3 and I4 of a housing,and rows of bottle holders l5 carried by said chains l0. Conveyors ofthis type are usually moved intermittently, step by step, in an endlesscourse, so it does not seem necessary to show or describe all of thedetails of a Suitable conveyor.

The bottle holders l5 are large enough to loosely receive bottles I6,and when the bottle holders are located in positions shown in thedrawings, the bottles rest upon tracks located below the course of thebottle holders. As `shown in Figures 2 and 3, these tracks may includenormally stationary in the bottle holders I5.

track sections I1 and I8, and rockers in the form of track bars I9between said sections I1 and I8. 'I'he bottle holders i5 travel in thedirection indicated by arrows in Figures 2 and 8 to push the bottles I6on the normally stationary track section I1, and thence along the trackbars I9 from which the bottles are eventually transferred to thenormally stationary track section I8. The ends of the track bars I9which lie adjacent to the track section I1 are preferably beveled, asshown at 28, to provide for unobstructed delivery of bottles to therocking track bars I9. The receiving edge of the normally stationarytrack section i8 may be beveled as shown at 2I in Figures 2 and 3. Whilethe track sections I1 and I8 are normally stationary, it is to beunderstood that they may be adjustable relative to the ends of the trackbars I9,

The invention may be employed for highly eflicient cleansing of bottles,and the like, in numerous different types of cleansing Zones. However,to illustrate one form of the invention, Figures 1, 2 and 7 show astationary pan 22 adapted to receive cleansing liquid, said pan beingprovided with rows of spouts or nozzles 23 for the discharge of streamsof liquid onto rows of bottles I 6 Fig. 1 shows one row of spouts 23above a row of bottle holders I5. Fig. 2 shows that there are severalrows of spouts 23 above several rows of bottle holders, the conveyorbeing movable step by step to progressively advance each row of bottlesfrom cleansing positions below one row of spouts 23 to similar positionsbelow the next adjacent row of spouts.

In this specic form of the invention, a desirable means for rocking thebottles includes the track bars I9 having friction surfaces below therows of bottle holders I to contact with and support rows of bottles I6. Each of these track bars I 9 is arranged parallel with the course ofthe bottle holders in the cleansing vzone, and extended beneathsuccessive rows of said bottle holders, so as to simultaneously contactwith a series of bottles in the successive rows.

The tracks I9 herein shown consist of simple T-bars, each having a atseat at the top to receive the bottles and a leg 24 below said seat.These track bars I 8 are to be regarded as rockers, and they can beconveniently supported on transverse bars 25 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3and 7. Simple pivotal mountings may be formed by approximately circularpivot members 26 located in recesses at the bottom of each leg 24 andseated in arcuate recesses 21 at the upper edges of the transverse bars25, as shown most clearly in Figures 2, 3 and 7. The bars 25 are fixedto a suitable part of the conveyor structure, as is well understood.Each arcuate recess 21 is open at the top (Fig. 7) to detachably receiveone of the pivot members 26. This detail provides for very economicalassemblage of the several track bars I9 on their pivotal mountings26-21, and has the further advantage of permitting convenient removal ofsaid track bars by merely lifting them from the stationary transversesupports 25. Such removal 'is occasionally desirable for inspection orrepairs at lower portions of the machine.

Each of the track bars I9 shown in the drawf ings has an operating arm28 united with and extending downwardly from one of its ends, theseveral operating arms 28 being provided with recesses 29 to receivepins 3B carried by a reciprocating bar 3|, as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

.This bar 3l is supported by hanger arms 32 Ypivotally connected to thebar 3I.

(Fig. 1) suspended from pivots 33 and having their lower ends pivotallyconnected to said bar 3I. Said bar 3l may be reciprocated with theresult of transmitting movement from its pins 3U to the arms 28 of thetrack bars I9 (Fig. 1), thereby oscillating said track bars about theaxes of the pivot members 28. It may be observed that the pins 30 lie inthe recesses 29 of the arms 28, and that said recesses are open at thebottom. Under these conditions, the pins 38 can be readily inserted intothe open recesses 2S where they serve as drivers for the rocker arms 28,and said arms Will freely pass from the pins 30 when the track bars I9are removed from their seats 21 on the supporting bars 25.

A suitable means for reciprocating the elongated bar 3I to rock thetrack bars I8, comprises a crank shaft 34 having a crank pin 35 (Figures1 and 3) and a forked connecting rod 36, one end of said connecting rodbeing mounted on the crank pin 35 and the other end being It is to beunderstood that the elongated operating bar 3| will reciprocate inresponse to rotary movements of the crank shaft 34 and its crank pin 35.This crank shaft 34 is preferably driven continuously to constantly rockthe track bars I9, not only when the bottles are located directly belowthe spouts 23. but also while the bottle conveyor is moving vto advancethe bottles through the cleansing zone.

rThe means for operating the crank shaftr 34 comprises a constantlyrunning drive shaft 31 (Fig. 3), a sprocket wheel 38 on said shaft,A asprocket wheel 39 on the crank shaft 34 and a sprocket chain 40connecting these wheels 38 and 39. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a clutchdevice to detachably couple the sprocket wheel 38 to the drive shaft 31.This wheel 38 is loosely mounted on said shaft 31 (Fig. 4) and providedwith an extended lug or tooth 4I adapted to interlock with a shiftableclutch 'device shown in Figures 3 to 6. This shiftable device comprisesa sleeve 42 splined to and slidable on the shaft 31 (Fig. 4), a collar43 xed to the slidable sleeve42, a pair of gripping blocks 44 carried bysaid sleeve 42, and a plate 45 carried by said blocks, said plate havinga notch or recess 46 (Figures 4, 5

Yand 6) to receive the lug 4I on the sprocket Wheel 38. The blocks 44are firmly clamped onto the sleeve 42 by means of bolts 41. However, inresponse to'an overload, or if the crank shaft 34 should be Vpositivelystopped While the clutch device is coupled to the sprocket wheel 38, thesleeve 42 will rotate while frictionally secured to the blocks 44.

The means for shifting the clutch device to start and stop thetransmission of power to the rockable track bars, comprises a manuallyoperated lever pivotally supported at 43 (Figures 1 and 3), said leverhaving an operating handle 49 and arms 5l) provided with pins 5| locatedin a peripheral groove of clutch collar 43. The operating handle 49 ismovable downwardly as suggested by dotted lines in Fig. 3, therebyreleasing the shiftable clutch device from the sprocket Wheel 38 to stopthe transmission of power to the rockable track bars I9. However, whenthe handle 49 is located in the position shown by full lines in Figures1 and 3, to provide for the transmission of power, said handle may bearranged in a holder 52 provided with a re- Under normal operatingconditions, the track bars I9 are constantly tilted from intermediatehorizontal positions shown by full lines in Fig. '1 to oppositelyinclined positions, so as to tilt the bottles in the streams ofcleansing liquid. However, in washing new bottles, or fairly cleanbottles without labels, it is not necessary to rock said track bars I9.In thisevent, it is desirable to maintain the track bars in thehorizontal positions shown by full lines in Fig. '1, and other views ofthe drawings. This avoids uneven wear on the friction surfaces of thetrack bars, and locates said bars in fixed positions where they merelyform smooth continuations of the stationary track sections I1 and I8,shown in Fig. 2.

The means for positively locating the track bars in said intermediatehorizontal positions preferably comprises a stop member associated withthe means for rocking said bars, so as to stop and hold these bars intheir horizontal po sitions, To understand the specific device shown inFigures 1 and 3, it should be noted that when the crank pin 35 occupiesits highest and lowest positions, the track bars I9 are located in theirintermediate, horizontal positions. The stopping device includes a meansfor stopping and holding said crank pin 35 in either of said highest orlowest positions after the shiftable clutch member has been releasedfrom the sprocket wheel 38. For example, the operating handle 49(Figures l and 3) is provided with a fork 54 adapted to receive and holda collar 55 on the crank pin 35. This fork 54 is provided with divergingextensions 56 adapted to engage the collar 55, so as to shift the crankpin 35 to either its highest or lowest position, thereby locating thetrack bars I9 in their intermediate positions after the transmission ofpower from the clutch has been discontinued. The track bars are thenpositively held in said intermediate positions.

Fig. '1 shows a bottle I6 directly below one of the spouts 23 from whichliquid is discharged onto the bottle. Dotted lines illustrate the bottlein one of its extreme positions wherein the bottom of the bottlecontacts with the tilted track bar I9, while an upper portion of thebottle contacts with a side wall of the bottle holder I5. Study of Fig.'1 will show that the bottle is tilted to numerous different angleswhile moving from the vertical position shown by full lines to theextreme position in dotted lines, thereby exposing numerous areas of thebottle to direct cleansing contact with the forcible stream dischargedfrom the spout 23. These conditions result in effective removal oflabels and other substances clinging to surfaces of the bottles.

Each bottle holder I5 (Figures 2 and 8) is provided with a pushingabutment 51 adapted to contact with andpush the bottle along one of thetrack bars I9 in response to step by step movements of the bottleconveyor. As shown most clearly in Figures 8 and 9, each bottle holderis also provided with deiiectors 58 diverging from its pushing abutment51, so as to deflect the bottle away from said abutment 51 in responseto rocking movements of the track bars I9. The deflectors 58 preferablylie at obtuse angles to the abutment 51, and these elements 51 and 58can be conveniently formed by wall members of the polygonal bottleholders I5.

When the conveyor is traveling to advance the bottles in the cleansingzone, each abutment 51 contacts with one of the bottles I6, as shown inFig. 8. However, when the conveyor stops, or

'6 when it is moving at a very low speed, the rocking movement of thetrack bars I9 immediately tilts each bottle I6 onto one of thedeflectors 58, thereby shifting the bottles away from the abutments 51,and releasing paper, etc. that may be clamped between the bottles andthe abutments. This movement of the bottles on the deiiectors 58 alsoimparts a slight rolling movement to the bottles, and in this mannerexposes diierent areas of the bottles to direct impacts of the forciblestreams. The normal rocking movements of the track bars I9 constantlyshifts the loose bottles to various cleansing positions, and suchmovements prevent paper and other foreign particles from accumulatingbetween the bottles and inner faces of the bottle holders.

When the track bars I9 occupy tilted positions (see dotted lines in Fig.7) a side marginal edge of each track bar I9 contacts with a side marginof the bottom of a bottle, all other areas of the bottle being separatedfrom the track bar. Under these conditions, paper and other material isreleased at spaces between the track bars and bottom faces of thebottles, and readily washed from inclined top faces of the track bars.Furthermore, when the several track bars occupy tilted positions, thereare relatively wide spaces between the track bars, and this conditionpermits free discharge of large fragments of paper, broken glass andother objects between the separated track bars.

The advantage of imparting slight rotary movements to the loose bottlesalso appears while the bottle holders are traveling in the cleansingzone. .At this time the track bars are tilted to positions suggested bydotted lines in Fig. '1, wherein a side edge of each track bar contactswith a side margin of the bottom of a bottle, while said bottle is beingpushed along the track bar. This condition tends to impart a rotarymotion to the loose bottle, so as to expose different side areas of thebottle to forcible contacts of the cleansing shower during the nextcleansing operation. Upper portions of the bottle holders I5 areprovided with openings 59 (Fig. 1) through which some of the liquid fromspouts 23 is discharge onto the bottles while said bottle holders aretraveling in the cleansing zone.

While I have conveniently referred to step by step movements of aconveyor which transmits bottles through a cleansing zone, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to such movements, and thatinsofar as this invention is concerned, various types of containers maybe substituted for the "bottles herein shown and described.

I claim:

l. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottlesare subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having rows ofelongated bottle holders movable through said cleansing zone, saidbottle holders being adapted to loosely receive rows of bottles, andmeans for rocking the loose bottles in and relative to the longitudinalaxis of said holders, said means including track bars having frictionsurfaces below the rows of bottle holders to contact with and supportthe rows of bottles, each of said track bars being arranged parallelwith the course of the bottle holders in said cleansing zone andextended beneath successive rows of Said bottle holders, so as tosimultaneously contact with a series of bottles in the successive rows,pivotal supports for said track bars, and operating means tosimultaneously oscillate said track bars on ytheir pivota1 supports andthereby rock the'bottles 'in said successive rows of holders, saidbottle holders being provided with pushing abutments to push the rows ofloose bottles along the friction surfaces of said track bars.

2. In a bottle washing machine having a cleansing zone wherein streamsof liquid are discharged onto the bottles, means for rocking the bottlesin said cleansing zone'to dislodge dirt and labels thereon, said meansincluding parallel track bars having friction surfaces at the bottom ofsaid cleansing zone to contact with the bottoms of the bottles,transverse supports having recesses at the top to detachably receivesaid track bars, the latter being provided with pivot members seated insaid recesses to pivotally Support the track bars, said track bars alsohaving extensions provided with recesses open at the bottom, anoperating bar having pins located in the last mentioned recesses,oscillatory hangers supporting 'said operating bar, and means forreciprocating said operating bar to rock the track bars.

3. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottlesare subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottleholders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders beingadapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary frictiontrack-members leading to and away from said cleansing zone, means forrocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means includingtrack bars arranged between said normally stationary friction trackmembers, said track bars being located below said bottle holders toreceive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing l zone, pivotalsupports for said track bars, the vtrack bars being tiltable on saidpivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclinedpositions, operating means to rock said track bars, and a stoppingdevice t0 discontinue the transmission of movement from said operatingmeans to said track bars, said stopping device being provided with astop member cooperating with said operating means to stop the track barsin said horizontal positions.

4. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottlesare subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottleholders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders beingadapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary frictiontrack members leading to and away from said cleansing zone, means forrocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means includingtrack bars arranged between said normally stationary friction trackmembers, Said track bars being located below said bottle holders toreceive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing zone, pivotalsupports for said track bars, the track bars being tiltable on saidpivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclinedpositions, operating means including a crank to rock said track bars,and a stopping device to discontinue the transmission of operating powerto said crank, said stopping device including a fork to receive saidcrank and stop the track bars in said horizontal positions, said forkhaving diverging extensions to shift said crank to intermediatepositions wherein it locates the track bars in said horizontalpositions.

5. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottlesare subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottleholders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders beingadapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary frictiontrack members leading to and away from said -cleansing zone, means forrocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means includingtrack bars arranged between said normally stationary friction trackmembers, said track bars being located below said bottle holders toreceive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing zone, pivotalsupports for said track bars, the track bars being tiltable on saidpivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclinedpositions, and operating means including a crank to rock said trackbars, said crank being in intermediate positions when the track barsoccupy said horizontal positions, a clutch member movable to discontinuethe transmission of operating power to said crank, and a lever torelease said clutch member, said lever having a fork to receive and holdthe crank in said intermediate positions, and said fork being providedwith diverging extensions to shift the crank toits intermediatepositions.

6. In a bottle cleansing machine, a bottle conveying track arranged inthe bottle cleansing zone of the machine, bottle pushing means having anabutment wall set traversely of said track and defiectors at each sideof said abutment wall projecting angularly forwardly thereof, saidpushing means moving along and above said track to slide a bottle alongthe track, track supporting pivots, and an operating device to rock saidtrack on said supporting pivots, whereby to rock the bottle relative tosaid pushing means abutment wall 'between said angularly disposeddefiectors and cause rotary and tilting movement of the bottle relativeto said track and pushing means. I

'7. In a bottle cleansing machine, a bottle sup'- porting track, bottlepushing means movable along and above said track, said pushing meanshaving an abutment wall extending vertically above said track andopposite laterally extending side deflectors, track supporting pivots,and operating means for rocking said track about said pivots indirections transverse to the movement of said bottle pushing means,whereby the bottle is caused to tilt relative to said abutment wall andalternately engage said side deectors with a resulting angular movementhaving its turning point on said track.

8. In a bottle cleansing machine supplied with a cleansing fluid foreffecting removal of bottle labels, a bottle supporting track having afiat face over which the bottle moves, bottle Apushing means movablelengthwise above said track, said pushing means having an abutment Wallfor pushing the bottle along saidtrack, the pushing means acting, attimes, to trap a label against the bottle, said pushing means alsohaving side deiiectors angled forwardly of said abutment wall in thedirection of movement for maintaining the bottle on said track, spacedtrack supporting pivots having a common pivot axis, and operating meanspivoting said track relative to said bottle pushing means, whereby thebottle is caused to gyrate relative to the pushing abutment wall, sidedeiiectors and track to prevent trapping labels between the bottle andthe abutment wall, deflectors and track.

9. In a bottle cleansing machine for removing labels and the like byapplication of a cleansing fluid, an elongated track having an upper:dat face to support a bottle, bottle pushing means movable lengthwiseof said track, said pushing means having a closed peripheral wallloosely embracing the bottle above said track, track supporting pivotmeans having an axis parallel with the track, and operating meansconnected with said track to continuously pivot the same and causebottle gyrations within said bottle pushing means to prevent trapping alabel between said wall and the side of the bottle therein during thecleansing thereof.

10. In a bottle cleansing machine for removing external dirt and labelsby application of a cleansing fluid thereto, an elongated flat facedtrack to support a plurality of bottles, a plurality of adjacent bottlepushing means movable above said track, each pushing means having aclosed peripheral Wall loosely7 embracing a bottle, said wall includinga bottle pushing abutment facing the direction of bottle travel andforwardly directed side walls next to said pushing abutment, tracksupporting pivots, and operating mechanism connected with said track topivotally oscillate said track normal to its lengthwise axis and causebottle gyrations of both a linear and an angular character to repeatedlychange the position of the bottles within said closed peripheral walland relative to said pushing abutment and side walls.

11. In a bottle cleaning device, a bottle holder having a peripheralwall loosely enclosing a bottle, said holder being axially open at itsopposite ends, to expose the mouth and bottom of the bottle receivedtherein, a rocker disposed adjacent the open bottom end of said holderand having a seat on which the bottom of the bottle is supported, meansfor operating said rocker to vary the area and location of contactbetween said seat and the bottom of the bottle to rock the bottle Withinand relative to the axis of said holder, and cleaning liquid dischargemeans spaced from the opposite open end of said holder for delivering astream of liquid onto the bottle to bathe all external surfaces of thebottle as the bottle rocks Within said holder and varies its outersurface contact with the peripheral wall of said holder.

12. In a bottle cleaning machine having a cleaning zone wherein bottlesare subjected to a cleaning liquid flow over the exterior of thebottles, a bottle conveyor moving through said cleaning zone, bottleholders on said conveyor said bottle holders having open tops presentedto the cleaning liquid ow, open bottoms and a peripheral wall looselyenclosing the bottles, a track bar having an elongated seat parallelwith the direction lof conveyor movement and below the open bottoms ofsaid bottle holders, the bottles in said holders being pushed along thetrack bar seat, and means connected with said track bar to rock thetrack bar seat laterally relative to the direction of conveyor movementto variT the contact of the bottom of the bottle with said track barseat, the rocking of said track bar seat being effective to change theposition of the bottles being pushed along within said holders so thatall external surfaces receive the cleaning iuid flow and foreign matterand dirt are flushed through the open bottoms of said holders.

JAMES L. HEROLD.

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